


Fathers and Sons (and those in between)

by amy_vic



Category: West Wing
Genre: Community: tww_minis, Gen, abusive childhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-08
Updated: 2010-03-08
Packaged: 2017-10-07 19:51:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amy_vic/pseuds/amy_vic





	Fathers and Sons (and those in between)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raedbard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raedbard/gifts).



"Leo, I don't...I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Leo catches Josh's eye in the mirror, and turns to face him, holding out his hands in a vague 'what am I supposed to do about it?' gesture. "Well, Josh, I don't speak Hebrew, so I'm afraid I can't really help you."

Josh manages a small smile, and shakes his head. "Nah, it's not that; the prayers, I can handle. It's just...they expect me to go out there. They're counting on me to help them through this."

"Yeah, they are," Leo agrees, focusing on running the soft cloth over his shoes once more. (His father always told him that you could tell a good man just by how well he shined his shoes.) Leo isn't quite sure if Josh means Andrea, the twins, or if he's just being random, but it doesn't matter. They are all going through this, in varying degrees.

When Leo looks back up, Josh has turned to face the mirror in the hallway and is fumbling with his tie. "Josh, gimme that thing. What are you doing to that poor tie?"

"I was trying to tie it," Josh mutters and he yanks the tie from around his neck and pushes it into Leo's waiting hand. "I've never been good with these things."

"You know, Josh-lift your head up so I can see what I'm doing, could ya?-most guys figure out this kind of thing before they hit middle age."

"Yeah, well, my dad was kind of busy hating me when I was growing up to worry about teaching me a four-in-hand knot," Josh spits out suddenly, viciously.

Both men freeze. Leo can't believe Josh just said that, and by the look on his face, Josh can't quite believe he did, either. It takes Leo a moment to speak, but when he does, his voice is quiet and even.

"That's between you and Noah, because I was only invited into your family so far," Leo says calmly, "but I certainly hope you paid enough attention to the fact that I just tied this thing for you, cause I'm pretty sure that you and Danny may both be asked at some point to help Huck with his own ties, and not to be sexist or anything, but it's going to look pretty damned sad if Huck realizes out that Donna's been tying your ties for the past 12 years, and whoever else was tying them before that."

Josh lets out a shaky half-laugh. "Yeah, I think I have it figured out this time."

Leo watches him for a moment. With Josh mostly turned away from him, barely in profile, Leo can see his expression soften, and for a moment, Josh looks exactly like the little boy he was before everything crumbled.

Before the fire. Before his mother couldn't stand to look at him without weeping. Before his father refused to hug him-refused to even place a hand on his small shoulder-even when they were all lined up in front of Joanie's coffin. Before Josh would pass by his father and Leo sitting in the living room, and even six drinks in, Leo could see that the kid was downright desperate for physical touch that wasn't a hit.

Leo had seen that, too. He might have been a drunk, but he was never that blind. Neither Josh nor Noah lied about it, but they never told the truth, either. They simply didn't say anything.

"Listen, Leo..."

"Forget about it, Josh. Just concentrate on being there for those kids, okay?" Leo rests his hands on Josh's shoulders, and can see that even this simple touch is giving Josh the strength he needs.

Josh fiddles with the end of his tie for a moment, keeping his head down and his chin tight against his chest. He mumbles something Leo can't quite hear, but is pretty sure isn't English.

"Josh?"

Josh looks up and attempts a smile. He almost succeeds. "Yeah. Let's go; they're all waiting."


End file.
